January 8, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has for the first time publicly commented on the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro five days ago.
He said the US operation involved “conspiracy and treachery,” speaking at an award presentation ceremony in Minsk.
According to him, both military and civilian officials in Venezuela were paid in cash, apparently to facilitate Maduro’s capture.
Łukašenka said that Maduro’s wife, who was captured together with her husband, rejected an offer to remain in the country.
“I know her; [she is] a very courageous woman. She was taken to America and charged with drug business. This is the justice they have taught us all our lives. Have they had enough of it? They have no truth and no justice, and they never will.”
He added that he had warned US officials against “doing these foolish things that they would find difficult to sort out.”
He said that Americans attacked a helpless man, killing all of his guards and wounding his wife. He sarcastically described the operation as “great heroism,” adding, “This is an empire that spends more than a trillion dollars on weapons.”
He described the operation as a disgrace, noting that a similar scenario would be unrealistic in Belarus.
“Do you remember the Security Council meeting last year, at which we assigned roles in case ‘there is no president’? Listen, we must have foresight . . . Even if it happens, we have everything arranged for this case.”
Łukašenka also described unspecified recent global developments as “madness.”
The Belarusian ruler had not commented on the operation earlier, but his spokeswoman, Natalla Piatkievič, and the foreign ministry had denounced it.
